Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Gabe huddled with his head down in the passenger seat as Cassidy wrenched the wheel from side to side, doing her best to shake off the shooter behind them. He hated feeling so helpless. The thumb drive seemed to be burning a hole in his pocket. He had to assume the same person who’d assaulted him had waited for him to arrive at his place to get the very item they’d been looking for.

But why? He didn’t even know what was on the memory stick. He needed to get it plugged into a computer and soon.

“Call 911.” Cassidy dropped the phone into the cupholder. “I should have taken the time to pair it with the Jeep’s computer screen,” she added half under her breath. Her gaze was laser focused on the road and cars around them. He understood she was desperately trying to get away from the shooter while keeping the public safe.

No easy task.

He did as she asked, lifting his head enough to give the dispatcher a location. They were already leaving White Gull Bay, though, so he wasn’t sure which district would even respond.

“We’re passing Duran Street heading south on Lakeshore Drive,” he said, as they paralleled the Lake Michigan shoreline. The lake was quiet and beautiful during wintertime.

“I’ve dispatched officers to your location,” the woman said calmly. “Please stay on the line.”

He was about to set the phone on speaker when their car abruptly slowed. He glanced at Cass who looked grim.

“Gas tank is hit; we’ll need to bail.”

Bail? As in leave the car? He swallowed hard. She was the expert here, not him. “Okay. I’m ready.”

She made a right turn, then hit the brakes. “Hurry,” she said, pushing her driver’s side door open.

He followed suit, jumping out of the passenger seat. He followed Cassidy as she jogged up the road, then cut through a private residence. Trusting her instincts, he stayed close, despite his discomfort at invading people’s privacy by running through their yards.

Thankfully, no one seemed to notice as they darted through one backyard and the next. Cassidy made what appeared to be totally random turns, but he sensed she had a plan. He kept pace beside her, breathing heavily from the exertion. The pain in his head thumped along with the beat of his heart, making it hard to concentrate on staying upright and following Cass.

He knew without being told that this type of thing was not something he’d done on a regular basis. If ever. Cassidy and Rhy had mentioned he was their tech specialist, and there was no denying he was more comfortable behind a desk.

Finally, Cassidy crouched near a large tree in the backyard of a house that was large and expensive looking. He wasn’t sure if there were people inside or not, but he hoped for the latter as he dropped beside her. For a moment, he closed his eyes, grateful for the opportunity to catch his breath. Then he looked around, trying to gauge where they were. Somewhere on the east side, but how far had they gone on foot?

He had no idea.

“Are you okay?” Her eyes betrayed her concern.

“Yeah.” He didn’t want to let her know how badly his head hurt. “I can keep up.”

She gestured to the phone he still held in his hand. “Smart move to bring the phone.”

He grimaced. There had been nothing brilliant about his actions; he hadn’t even realized he’d hung onto it. He passed it to her. “Take it. I suspect we’re going to need it.”

She accepted the phone and slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans. “We need to keep moving. It’s the middle of the day. Someone is bound to see us skulking through backyards.”

“Okay.” He was in no position to argue. “Shouldn’t we call Rhy?”

“Soon. Once we’re in a public place where we can wait for a ride.” She gestured behind them. “We’re not far enough away from the Jeep. We’ve only gone a little over a mile.”

Seriously? It had seemed like far more. “I’ll keep up,” he repeated to reassure her. “I won’t hold you back.”

She flashed a quick smile, which resonated deep within despite their dire circumstances. He must have a screw loose because he should be more concerned with staying alive than focusing on how beautiful Cassidy was. “You’re doing great, Gabe. We’ll get through this.” She cast a sweeping glance around their current location, then added, “Let’s go.”

With a muffled groan, he stood and followed her through the next backyard until they were on a residential street. She set a brisk pace, and he was glad he hadn’t lied about being able to keep up. His long stride helped, and the exertion of covering ground quickly kept the winter chill at bay.

Soon they were on busier streets, and he noticed they were approaching one of the university buildings. “We’re close to the University of Milwaukee,” he said, surprised he recognized it.

“Yes.” She arched a brow. “I attended college here to major in criminal justice, but you went to Madison.”

He tried to remember attending the University of Madison but couldn’t. Not that it mattered. He’d rather remember if he was investigating some case that had gotten him assaulted and dumped in the middle of nowhere.

“That restaurant there should work,” Cassidy said in a low voice. “We’ll call Rhy and see if someone can head out to pick us up.”

The scent of food made him feel hungry. He doubted they’d sticking around, though, so he didn’t say anything.

A blessed warmth washed over them as they stepped inside. “Table for two, please,” Cassidy said.

They were soon seated in a booth lining a wall of windows overlooking the street. There were many pedestrians milling about, and he realized that most of them were students. This was likely the week of final exams, bringing an end to the fall semester.

“What can I get you to drink?” a perky server asked.

“Hot chocolate,” Cassidy said without hesitation.

“Me too, thanks.” He waited for the young woman to leave, before asking, “Are you going to call Rhy?”

“Yes.” She sat back in her seat with a sigh. “He won’t be happy about this. Maybe we should eat lunch first, as long as we’re here.”

“That’s fine with me.” He patted his pocket. “Although I am anxious to look at this external drive.”

“Me too.” Her phone buzzed, and when she pulled it out, she turned to show him Rhy’s name on the screen. “Time’s up,” she said, before lifting the phone to her ear. “Hey, Rhy.”

He knew she couldn’t put the call on speaker as they were in a public place, so he quickly jumped out of his seat to scoot in beside her. He placed his ear near hers so he could listen in.

“Cassidy?” Rhy asked. “What’s this about reports of gunfire in White Gull Bay? Is that where you and Gabe are?”

“Yes, sir,” she said. “We were in White Gull Bay. Shortly after leaving Gabe’s residence, gunfire shattered the rear window of the Jeep, but we’re okay.” She hesitated, then said, “Unfortunately, one of the bullets hit the gas tank. We had to abandon the Jeep and escape on foot. We’re near the UWM campus now, at a restaurant.”

There was a slight pause, before Rhy said, “I’m glad you’re both not hurt. I’ll take care of getting the Jeep towed. I’m more concerned with how you were found in the first place. The Jeep isn’t registered in either of your names.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Cassidy admitted. “I have to assume that whoever is running this operation may have had someone stationed near Gabe’s house on the chance we’d return. Either that or we were followed from the precinct. I didn’t notice a tail but could have missed one.”

“I doubt you’d have missed a tail,” Rhy said. Gabe was glad their boss didn’t seem too upset over the damaged Jeep. “Care to fill me in on what made you head out to Gabe’s house in the first place?”

“Gabe remembered hiding something in his freezer,” Cassidy explained. “You were on the phone, or I would have let you know where we were going. Sorry about that. But the good news is that we found a USB drive stored in Styrofoam in Gabe’s freezer.”

“A USB drive?” Rhy sounded surprised. “What’s on it?”

“We don’t know yet.” Cassidy turned her head slightly to glance at him. “I’m hoping someone can drive out to pick us up so that we can get back to the precinct to find out.”

“Okay, I’ll see if Steele or Raelyn can swing by,” Rhy said. “I’m texting them both now. That was only one reason I called. There’s been a recent development I thought you should be aware of.”

Gabe’s heart thudded as a strange sense of apprehension washed over him.

“What?” Cassidy asked.

“Gabe’s seventeen-year-old half brother, Travis McCord, went missing yesterday,” Rhy said. “His mother just called asking for Gabe. She was hoping Gabe may have heard from him or could track him down using his phone. Apparently, she tried the find my phone app but without success.”

Half brother? Shocked by the news, he tried to remember a half brother named Travis. But the gray mist in his mind remained unyielding.

Were he and Travis close? He had no idea.

Yet he knew with sick certainty that whatever had happened to Travis must be linked to the attack on him. And he desperately needed to remember what had transpired to begin this horrifying cascade of events.

Before something terrible happened to Travis.

“I didn’t realize Gabe had a half brother,” Cassidy said, feeling Gabe stiffen beside her. She had a bad feeling Gabe didn’t remember him either. She thought it was odd because she had told him a few things about her stepsiblings who were about her same age, twenty-seven and twenty-nine, respectively. They were gamers like Gabe, which was why she’d mentioned them. She didn’t see Ben and Brian as often as she probably should, but from what she gathered, Gabe was estranged from his half brother. “As soon as we get back to the precinct, Gabe can get to work on tracking him.”

“We have to hurry,” Gabe hissed. “Tell Rhy to send someone to get us ASAP.”

Cassidy understood his concern. “Glad you heard back from Steele. Have him meet us out front. Thanks, Rhy.” She lowered the phone, scooting over to put some room between herself and Gabe. “I’m sorry about your half brother, but I’m sure you’ll find him.”

“I can’t remember him.” Gabe thrust his fingers through his brown hair. “How is it possible I don’t remember my own half brother?”

“Gabe.” She put a hand on his arm. “You told me your mother traded up. Left your father for a hot-shot lawyer. I didn’t get the sense that you and your mother remained close. Which means you may not have spent much time with Travis. Plus, there is a significant age gap between you.”

A mixture of relief and frustration played across his features. “Even if we’re not close, I feel responsible for his disappearance. Like maybe I had something to do with it.”

Cass nodded as that possibility had occurred to her too. “Do you think it’s possible you were heading out to meet with Travis last night?”

Gabe’s eyes widened in surprise. “I don’t know, maybe. Although I doubt Travis would have hit me over the head and left me at the side of the road.”

“It’s best to keep an open mind,” she said gently. Then she sat back as their server returned with their hot chocolates.

“Are you ready to order?” she asked.

“No, sorry. Change in plans,” Cassidy said. “Please bring our bill.”

The server looked disappointed, shrugged, and left. Two minutes later, she set their bill on the table. “Have a nice day,” she said, without meaning it.

“I can pay,” Gabe offered.

“Let me. We may need your funds later.” Cassidy glanced at the total and pulled cash from her pocket. She added a substantial tip to smooth things over, then reached for her hot chocolate. “We have at least ten minutes before Steele will get here.”

Gabe cradled the mug without drinking. “I can’t stand it,” he whispered. “All along I’ve felt this strange sense of urgency, as if there’s something very important that I need to do.” He shook his head and lifted his gaze to hers. “Maybe that important task is to find Travis. What if he’s in trouble? Maybe he called and asked for help. I could have gone to the meeting place because he asked me to, but the attackers got there first. They attacked me, leaving me there and took off with Travis as their hostage.”

She preferred cold, hard facts over speculation, but obviously theories were all they had. His proposal was possible, among dozens of others. “Try not to think the worst.” She forced a reassuring smile. “I’m sure the USB drive will provide answers.”

“I pray you’re right,” Gabe said. “Because the not remembering is killing me. If something bad happens to Travis...”

“It won’t be your fault,” she said, placing a hand on his arm. “You’re doing the best you can, Gabe. Let’s take this one step at a time. The last time we spoke, you mentioned your mother lived in Madison.”

“You know more than I do.” A hint of bitterness laced his tone. “I have no idea where she lives.”

“But the way you were found near the Wildflower Motel indicates you may have headed out to a neutral location to meet with Travis. Or someone else who claimed to know information about him.”

Gabe pushed his hot chocolate aside without tasting it. “I can’t just sit here. Let’s head outside to wait.”

Knowing that the case had turned personal—more so than a random attack at the side of the road—she nodded. Taking another long sip of her hot chocolate, she followed Gabe out of the booth toward the front door. Before he could step outside, she snagged his arm, holding him back.

He shot her an impatient glance that was so unlike the Gabe she knew that she paused.

“I just need you to stay back until I can make sure it’s safe,” she explained. “We’re only a few miles from the damaged Jeep. The gunmen could still be searching for us.”

He held her gaze for a long moment before stepping back.

She pushed the door open and stepped into the cold, quickly scanning the area. There were so many people that it would be nearly impossible to spot a shooter. Yet she felt compelled to try.

A group of four came toward her, obviously intending to eat lunch. She stepped aside, then gestured for Gabe to come out and join her. His height made him stand out, not to mention impossible for her shorter frame to adequately provide cover for him, so she tugged him over to the side, praying the shooter was long gone.

“I hope Steele gets here soon,” Gabe muttered. “It seems to be getting colder.”

He was right. Rather than warming up as the afternoon approached, the wind had shifted coming in from the north. She tucked her chin into her coat, still keeping a wary eye out for danger.

“There he is,” she said in relief, recognizing Steele’s SUV. Her fellow teammate pulled up directly in front of the door. She hurried forward, taking the front passenger seat out of habit, leaving Gabe to crawl into the back. “Thanks for coming,” she said.

“Anytime,” Steele said, glancing back at Gabe. “I heard you can’t remember anything prior to being attacked and left at the side of the road.”

“Yeah, it’s not good.” Gabe sounded more dejected than ever. “I need everyone to pray that my memory returns as soon as possible.”

She and Steele exchanged surprised looks, as Gabe had never mentioned praying before. “I have been,” she said. “And I know the others are keeping you in their prayers too.”

“They need to include Travis as well,” Gabe said wearily. “The half brother I can’t remember.”

She noticed Steele’s eyes widen in surprise and quickly filled him in on the latest.

“I agree the assault against Gabe must be related to his missing half brother,” Steele said. “Hopefully that USB drive you found in the freezer will provide answers.”

“It better,” Gabe said. “Otherwise, I don’t know where we should even start to find Travis.”

She exchanged another concerned glance with Steele. Gabe sounded more upset than ever, and she couldn’t come up with any way to reassure him. She turned in her seat to face him. “Why wouldn’t your mother be able to use the find my phone app to locate Travis? I mean, from a technical perspective. Does that mean his phone is off or simply out of range?”

“Off or damaged,” Gabe said without hesitation. “The newer phones can be tracked all the way across the globe.”

“Really?” She gaped. “How is that possible?”

Gabe shrugged. “The new phones have the same technology that is used in air tags. You know, to track your luggage while traveling.”

“That’s interesting,” she said in awe. “I hadn’t realized the technology was that good.”

“Yeah.” He grimaced. “In this case, based on the way my house was searched and the TV screen damaged, it’s likely Travis’s phone is in a similar condition. Damaged to the point we can’t use it to find him.”

She silently agreed with Gabe’s assessment. Steele made good time in returning to the precinct. When Steele pulled into a parking spot in the rear lot, Gabe bolted from the car before it had come to a complete stop.

Shooting an apologetic glance at Steele, she hurried to catch up.

A man on a mission, Gabe strode purposefully toward the closest laptop computer even as he pulled the USB drive from his pocket. She found herself holding her breath as Gabe powered up the device, then logged into the system.

Once he was in, he slid the USB drive into an opening along the side of the laptop. He double-clicked the icon. Over his shoulder, she could see there was only one file on the drive. Somehow, she’d expected more.

Like maybe pictures or a video. Instead, what bloomed on the screen was nothing but gibberish.

Her hope plummeted. “The file is corrupted.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Gabe stared intently at the screen, slowly scrolling down to the bottom of the page. “It’s computer code of some sort.”

“Computer code may as well be gibberish,” she said, as Steele came up to stand beside them. “Unless you know what it means?”

“I’m not sure.” Gabe scowled as he returned to the top of the document. “It must be the code to some program.”

“Some program?” Steele echoed. “But you don’t know which one?”

“Not yet.” Gabe finally turned to look up at her. “It’s going to take some time for me to figure out what this code belongs to. Time we don’t have.” His expression looked tortured. “We need to try to find Travis. And I don’t think identifying what this code is related to won’t help us with that.”

She hid her disappointment. The code on this USB drive had to be the reason they’d taken gunfire. Which meant it must be important.

But without Gabe’s memory, they were still in the dark as to what was really going on.

“Why don’t you see if you can find the last cell tower your half brother’s phone pinged from?” Steele suggested. “That will give us a starting point.”

“Good call.” Gabe looked relieved to have a job to do. He turned back to the computer. As she watched, he took a moment to attach the mystery computer code to an email and send it off to the entire team. A smart move since now they all had ready access to the information.

No clue how to interpret it, but the ability to open it was half the battle.

Gabe pulled up a new program on his computer and began working the keyboard. It was a relief to know he’d retained basic knowledge of how to do these sorts of tasks since most of them were beyond the team’s abilities.

It gave her hope that he’d be able to unlock the mystery code very soon.

“Okay, I have the program up and running,” Gabe said. “But I need the phone number.”

“I have it here,” Rhy said, crossing the room toward them waving a blue sticky note. “Your mother gave it to me.”

Gabe took the note and typed in the number. After a few minutes, he said, “Got it. The phone pinged last off this tower.” He pointed to the screen. “And that call was made at three minutes past nine last night.”

“Looks like the tower is about two miles from the Wildflower Motel,” she said, reading the map over Gabe’s shoulder. A chill snaked down her spine. “That makes me think you and Travis were together at the time.”

“Together or Travis asked me to meet him there,” Gabe said. “I am not sure why I didn’t drive my car, though. It seems strange that I would have taken a rideshare all that way.”

“We should have your phone records soon,” Rhy said. “That will confirm your communication with your half brother.”

“And if you took a rideshare,” she added. “It could be that someone showed up at your house and demanded you go with them to meet Travis.”

There was a long silence as they pondered that possibility. Then Gabe abruptly pushed away from the desk. “We need to go back to the area where I woke up. Maybe the assailants left something behind.”

Cass glanced questioningly at Rhy and Steele. She’d damaged the undercover Jeep and didn’t have a car.

Steele nodded. “I’ll drive.”

“Thanks.” She caught up to Gabe who was halfway to the door. Their tech analyst was always focused when it came to his work, but this single-minded determination was off the charts.

The trip out to the Wildflower Motel didn’t take long as Steele flicked on his red and blue lights, forcing cars to move out of their way. She gave him a sidelong glance.

“Hey, we’re heading to a crime scene,” Steele said defensively.

“One that’s not in our jurisdiction,” she felt compelled to point out. “But hey, I’m not arguing.”

“Faster,” Gabe said from the back seat. “I wish I’d have thought of coming back here last night.”

She felt guilty over that too, but at the time they hadn’t known about the break-in at Gabe’s home, or his missing half brother. “I’m sorry. I hope there’s still some evidence left behind.”

“It’s not your fault,” Gabe said. “I’m the one who can’t remember anything useful.”

As they approached the off-ramp, Gabe leaned forward. “Head left, Steele. Maybe two miles down the road.”

Steele followed his directions.

“Here, pull over here,” Gabe said. “I was in that field.”

The area was familiar; several of the team members had rendezvoused nearby several months ago. Gabe bolted from the car. She and Steele quickly followed.

“Spread out,” Steele said. “We’ll cover more ground that way.”

She nodded in agreement. Several areas of the ground were trampled by footprints, but none that could be isolated enough to be of use.

Then she heard an agonized cry. Spinning toward Gabe, she reached for her weapon, half expecting to see an attacker.

Instead, Gabe was kneeling on the ground, his expression grim. She rushed over to see the remains of a destroyed phone. By his despair, she knew it was likely Travis’s.

Their only connection to the missing teenager.